Variable-sceed clutch-pulley



J. H. LITTLER.

VARIABLE SPEED CLUTCH PULLEY.

APPLICATION F1LEn1uNe19,1919.

1 ,$30,089. Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

VIII/lill! Y irren/v51.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

JAMES H. I.I'1T1'.E.IRv OF MANLIUSiNEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO S. CHENEY & SON, OF`

MANLIUS, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VARIABLE-FEED CLUTCH-PULLEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

Application filed .Tune 19.',1919. Serial No. 305.270.

ble-Speed Clutch-Pulleys, of which the following, taken in connection with the accomanvinof drawings is a full clear and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in variable speed clutch pulleys or power transmitting mechanism. involving the use of a continuously rotating driving element such as a pulley, a driven element ,coaxial with the driving element, and means including clutch members and gearing for transmitting motion from the driving element to the driven element to cause the lat ter to be rotated at different speeds or to remain at rest at the will of the operator.

I am aware that various devices e1nploying planetary gearing have heretofore been proposed for accomplishing a similar result', and while it is true that a planetary gearing may be practicable, it is 'well known that it is extremely noisy and absorbs considerable power in overcoming its inertia; and one of the objects of my present invention is to avoid the objectionable features of a`plan etary gearing in devices of this character by keeping the axes ofthe idler pinions in a fixed position against angular movement about the axis of and relatively to the driving and driven elements, and to control at least one speed and the stopping of the driven elementthrough the medium of what may be termed 'a oating gear and a suitable clutch member under thev control of the operator coacting therewith.

A further object is to inclose the entire system of gearing within a. suitable oil con.

taining housing of which the driving element forms a part, and to provide suitable pas-. sages for the distribution of oil from said housing to the bearings of the relatively rotatable parts.

' Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the device will be brought out in the following description:

In the drawings,- Figure 1 is a longitudinalI sectional view, partly in elevation, of a variable speed power transmitting device embodying the various features of my invention.

Figs 2. 3, and 4l are transverse sectional views taken respectively in the planes of lines 2 2, 3--3 and -l-4 Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal detail sectional view taken in the plane of line Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken in the plane of line 6 6 Fig. l.

Asillustrated, this device comprises a rotary driving element such as a pulley -1-, a rotary driven element consisting of a shaft -2`- coaxial with the driving element, a clutch member -3- also coaxial with the driving element and movable into and out of engagement with the adjacent end of the pulley -1- for transmitting rotary motion directly from said pulley to the shaft Q- whereby the latter will be driven at the same speed as the pulley, and suitable gearing, and an additional clutch member ifor transmitting motion from the pulley to the shaft at a different speed hereinafter more fully described.`

The clutch member 3 is feathered or splined upon the shaft -Q- by mea-ns of a key -5-- for axial movement along said shaft and is provided with a conical periphery movable into and ou't of frictional engagement `with a corresponding bearing -6- on the adjacent end of the pulley so that when .engaged therewith. the shaft 2- will be driven at the same speed as the pulley -1'-.

Encircling the shaft -2- at the inner end of thefhub of the clutch member -3- is a sleeve -7- which is secured to said shaft by the key -5-. to rotate therewith, a portion of the sleeve intermediate its ends being enlarged and provided with a. conical bearing -8- tapered in the same direction as the periphery of the clutch member -3- for receiving and supporting'what may be termed a floating gear -9.

The inner face of this Hoating gear is tapered inwardly from both ends to vformannular cone bearings 10- and -11- for engagement respectively with theI bearing -8- on. the sleeve -7-, and a conical bearing -1Q on the inner end of the clutch member 4 when the latter is shifted into engagement therewith in a manner presently 105 described.

The clutch member L1- encircles the adjacent portion of the sleeve -7- and has a limited endwise sliding movement thereon between the annular enlargement -8- and an end thrust hardened bearing disk 13- which is also slidably mounted upon 'the outer end of the sleeve -7- and is held vagainst endiiise displacement by an internally threaded collar or nut 14- on the adjacent end of said sleeve.

The pulley 1- `s journaled upon the sleeve -7* at one end of the enlargement -8- opposite that at which the clutch is located7 and is held against axial displacement by a threaded collar or nut -15- engaging the adjacent end of said sleeve.

The inner end oli' the hub el the pulley -1- is preferably reduced in diameter while the adjacent end of the annular enlargement 8- is recessed to receive said reduced end thereby allowing the conical bearing of the enlargement -8- to overhang the adjacent end of the huh so that the floating gear may be brought into closer relation to the driving gear on the pulley and at the same time permitting the use of relatively long conical bearings -10-' and 11-. n

The inner end of; the hub of, the pulley -1- is provided with a spur gear -16- mesliing with diametrically opposite pinions -17- each of which is formed integral with a coaxial companion pinion w-18- ol different diameter, (in this instance reduced) said pinions -18 meshing with diametrically opposite sides of the floating said hub and the end thrust bearing to permit the clutch member, -4- to be moved axially into and out of frictional engagement with the corresponding clutch face -11 of the floating gear -9-.

The gears I6-1 -17-, -18-, andl -9- are at least partially surrounded by the rim of the pulley -1- between its web as -22- and the head -20-, said web and v yrim of the pulley being preferably imper- `orate to form the'main portionv of an oil;

chamber -23, the open side of which is closed by a cap -24- which is secured by screws -25- to the adjacent end of the rim of the pulley -1-.

The outer end of the cap -24 isl formed -with a c1rcularo ening through which the corresponding en s of the parts -4-, 7

and 2lmay project, the walls of said opening constituting an annular bearing '-25- cooperating with a peripheral arinual bearing -26 on the part -20- to forni an oil tight running joint therewith so that a considerable quantity of oil may be retained in the chamber -23- for lubricating purposes.

The wall -25- is also provided with an annular groove -27- for collecting any slight amount of oil which may pass through the`joint, although in practice, when the parts within the oil chamber are revolving, the tendency is to draw the oil away from this joint into the chamber presumably by reason oli' `suction which may be produced therein by the revolving` parts or by the centrifugal movement of the oil.

An end thrust bearing disk or washer -13- at the outer end of the hub of the clutch member -3- is connected by bolts 30* through said hub to the adjacent end of the sleeve -7 to form an abutment for the shorter arms of a. pair of diametrically opposite bell crank levers -3lwhich are pivoted at 3Q- to the hub of the clutch member -3- and have their longer arms movable upon and along corresponding faces of the adjacent collar -28-, the inner end of which is beveled at S3- to enable the longer arms of the bell crank levers to ride upon the periphery of the main body of the collar as the latter is shifted axially into and out of engagement with the bell crank levers for forcing the clutch member -3- .into and out of engagement with thepulley -1-. A

A pair of'similar bell crank levers 34- are pivoted at -35- to diametrically opposite sides of thecollar M14- and have their shorter arms bearing upon the outer end face of the thrust disk -13- and their longer arms adapted to ride in the lengthwise slots -36- in the hub of the collar --29-.v Y

The outer end walls of the slots 36- are beveledv at -37-to allow the longer arms olf the bell crank levers -34- to ride easily upon the periphery of the hub of the collar .-2 9- for forcing the clutch member 4'- into and out of engagement with the conical bearing face' -11- of the floating gear 9, and incidentally forcing said floating gear into frictional engagement with the clutch face -8- of the sleeve A shifting rod -38 operable at Will is provided with longitudinally adjustable clampingmembers '-39- having radially adjustable fork arms -40 engaged with the eircumferentially rooved collars 2S-fand -29- respective y for simultaneously shifting said collars axially in one direction or the other and thereby effecting a' corre# spending movement of their respective clutch members 43- and -4-, the same device being employed to shift the clutch members to their neutral positions.

The head -20- and pinions -17- and -18- mounted thereon are held 'against angular movement about the axis of the shaft -2- by a stud -41 engagin in an aperture 4Q- in the adjacent shi ing arm -40-, it being understood that the shifting rod ,38- is adapted to be mounted in any fixed supports (not shown)- to hold it in arallelism with the shaft 2- and in a xed plane radial thereto.

The inner end of the clutch member *1- is provided with, diametrically opposite lengthwise sockets for receiving relatively li ht coil springs 43- and plungers 44- wich are forced into frictional engagement with the adjacent end face of the 'enlarged iportion -8- of the sleeve -7- under the pressure of said springs and assists in disengaging the clutch member -4- 'from the floating gear -9- when the rod 38- is shifted to release saidy clutch member.

Suitable oil passages -45- lead from the chamber -23-d to the bearing for the pulley -1- upon the sleevev-- which is rovided with an annular groove`register- 1n with said passages `to facilitate the distr1 ution of the oil along said bearing.

Operation/.

Assuming that the 4parts are in a osition shown as in Fig. 1 in which the cl-utc member --3- is engaged with the pulley -1 for drivin the shaft -2- at the same speed as that o` the pulley, and that the clutch member .-/L- is. disengaged from the floating gear 9M under which conditions the pinions -17 and 1 8- and floating gear 9 will run idly upon their respective vbearings 19- and -8-.

Now, if the speed of the-shaft -2- is to be changed, it becomes necessary lto shift the rod 3&- from the position shown in Fig. 1 to disengage the clutch member 3 from the pulley and to successivelyengage the clutch member -4- with the fioatin gear .9- with sufficient force to frictiona ly enage said floating gear with the conical gearing -8- on the sleeve -7- thereby frictionally 'locking the fioatin gear 9 to said sleeve and causing the s aft -2- to be ,driven at a different (in this instance a reduced) speed.

Shifting the rod -38- to an intermediate y position will disengage both of the clutch members -3- and -4- from their companion clutch faces -6- and 11 therey causing the pulley to rotate independently ofthe clutch member -3- and allowing the fioating gear -9- to revolve -independently of its clutch member -4- and sleeve '-7"- dur-ing which operation the 6b shaft -2- will remain at rest.

ing element to vsaid floating member, and

This device is practically 4noiseless when the shaft 2 is driven at' either speed when the pulley is running idle, and when a suflicient quantity lof' oil is placed in the chamber -23-'- for lubricating purposes, it 70 will last a considerable period of time or as in actual use about six months without reoiling and at the same time is very compact,

'may Ybe applied to any shaft, and is extremely economical in manufacture and in- 75 stallation.

What I claimis:

vl. In combination with a rotary driving element having a clutch face, a rotary driven element coaxial with the driving element and also provided with a clutch face, a clutch member movable into and out of engagement with the clutch face of the driving element, a floating member revoluble on the clutchv face of the driven element and providedvg with a clutch face, a separate clutch member movable into and out of engagement with the clutch face of the floating member, means `for transmitting motion from the vdriving element to the fioating member, and 9 0 means for shifting the clutch members.

2./In combinatlon with a revoluble driving element, and a coaxial revoluble driven element, said driven element having a cone bearing, -a floating member rotatable on said bearing and having a slight axial .movement for wedging coaction therewith to friction#l ally lock the two parts together, means for transmittingmotion from the driving element to said fioating member, and .means operable at will for causing said wedging action between said floating member and driven element.

3. In combination with a continuously rotating driving element, a. rotary driven element having an annular bearing, a floating member rotatableon said bearing and havingv wedgng coaction therewith by axial movement, means for transmitting rotary motion from the driving element to said member, and means for moving said member axially to frictionally lock it to the driven element.y

4. In combination with a rotary driving element having a cone bearing, a rotary driven element coaxial with the driving element and-also provided with a cone bearing, a clutch member movable into and out of engagement with the cone bearing of the driving element, afio'ating member rotatable upon the cone bearin ofthe driven element and having we ging coaction therewith by axial movement, means for transmitting rotary motion from the driv 12,6 means for moving the floating member axially to cause itto frictionally interlock with the cone bearing of the driven element.

5. In combination with a contiuously ro-f 13(` tating pulley having one end provided with l' erable at will for causing said axial movev ment of the floating member.

(. In combination with a continuously rotating pulley having one end provided with a cone face, a' head at the opposite end of the pulley coaxial therewith, means for preventing the rotation of said head,a gear on the ulley, a rotary driven member o0- axial with the pulley and provided with a cone bearing, a floating gear rotatable on said bearing. and having wedging coaotion therewith by axial movement in one direo'A tion, pinions mounted on said head and meshing with the gear on the pulley andl with the floating gear for transmitting mo.

tion from the pulley to the floating gear, a

clutch member movable into and out of en;

gagernent with the clutch face of the pulley, and means operable at will for causing said axial movement of the floating -member.

7. In combination with a continuously rotating pulley havin one end provided with ya cone face, a hea( at the opposite end of the pulley coaxial therewith, means for preventing the rotation of said head, a gear on the pulley, a rotary driven member oovaxial with the pulley and provided with a cone bearing, a floating'gear rotatable on said bearlng and havlng wedgmg coact1on ,therewith by axial movement in one direc# tion, pinions mounted on said head and meshing with the gear on the pulley and with the floating gear for transmitting motion from the pulley to the float-ing gear, a clutchmember movable into and out of engagement with the clutch face of the pulley, and means operable at Will for causing `said axial movement of the floating meinber, and a cap secured to the end of the pulley opposite that provided with the cone bearing face and having a tight running ljoint with a portion of said head, said cap forming with the pulley an oil chamber containing the gears and pinions.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of June 1919.

JAMES H. LITTLER.

Witnesses:

JOHN P. CHENEY, FRED M. BARNUM. 

